A Friendship for the Long Haul
by AnnabethLuna
Summary: The friendship of Harry, Ron, and Hermione - otherwise known as the Golden Trio - has survived danger, tears, jealousy, and even betrayal. It can survive anything. 21 drabbles - one per person, per book - on the strength of their friendship. I don't own anything.
1. Sharing

_"It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron, eating through all Harry's pasties, cakes, and candies" (p. 100)_

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Harry had never had friends.

Oh, once upon a time he might have hoped that Dudley would care for him as cousins were supposed to do, and they might have even played together as children before Dudley was completely corrupted by his parents' twisted values, but those times were long gone now, if they had ever existed.

But now – now he was sitting on a train, heading off to a brand new life, and he was eating chocolate and feeling more fulfilled than ever before.

But the best part of it was that he was sitting there with a friend.

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**This is a slightly ambitious project - it will be 21 drabbles, one from each trio member's perspective from every book. Because Harry, Ron, and Hermione's friendship is probably the strongest one I've ever read about. 100 words per chapter.**


	2. The Troll

_"There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them" (p. 132)._

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Strange, Hermione reflected, that the best moment in her life was getting attacked by a troll.

She'd been sitting in the corner, sobbing bitterly about the failed hope to finally, _finally _make friends this year – and then a troll barged into the room and the lock clicked.

But before she could do anything more than scream in terror, _they_ were there, too – two boys, tearing into the room, looking as though they'd rather be anywhere but where they were.

But they were there, and they had saved her, and at that moment, Hermione was happier than she had ever felt.

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**And Hermione's up, in the most famous (or infamous?) beginning-of-a-friendship moment in history! Review!**


	3. Chess

_"'That's chess!' snapped Ron. 'You've got to make some sacrifices!'" (ch. 16)._

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There was only one move left, and Ron knew what it was.

He had to be taken.

When he told Harry and Hermione this, they both gasped in horror, but for him it was matter of fact. That was chess, that was _life_. You had to make some sacrifices, and this one was important.

And even if he was a little scared of the menacing white queen with her hard stone arm – it didn't matter. Because some things were more important. Courage. Friendship.

He might be overshadowed by his older brothers, but Ron Weasley would do anything for his friends.

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**Ron, in probably one of his best moments - not only in the book, but the whole series!**


	4. Letters

_"I've been really worried and if Harry is all right will you please let me know at once . . ." (ch. 4)_

* * *

There were two reasons that Harry might not be answering her letters, and Hermione wasn't sure which one was more worrying.

The first was that something was really _wrong._ And although it was awful, a tiny, selfish part of Hermione hoped that that was the reason.

Because if it wasn't, then it meant that he really had only cared for her for help with homework. That he didn't really want her as a friend.

So she was more relieved than she ever admitted when she got Ron's letter - he and Harry were both excited to meet her in Diagon Alley.

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**This is Chamber of Secrets now, by the way - in case you hadn't figured it out. Three drabbles per book.**


	5. Howler

_"At least the Howler had done one good thing: Hermione seemed to think they had now been punished enough and was being perfectly friendly again" (ch. 6)_

* * *

Hermione could be annoying sometimes; Harry had known that even before they had become friends. She was bossy, and a stickler for rules. She didn't understand at all how much he and Ron had been panicking when the barrier closed them out, and that was irritating as well.

But even though the Howler was bad, though it was humiliating and terrifying and he never wanted to repeat the experience, a tiny part of him was grateful for it.

Because afterwards, Hermione warmed up to them again. And Harry thought privately that it was worth the price.

Because they were friends.

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**Review, please!**


	6. Alone

_"'I'll try and shift some of this rock,' said Ron, who seemed to be trying to keep his voice steady. 'So you can - can get back through. And Harry" - (ch. 16)_

* * *

Ron had never felt so alone in his life.

Stuck behind a heavy rockfall, with only an obliviated professor and the steady _drip, drip_ of sewer water to keep him company, not knowing if he would ever see his friends again, he was terrified and lonely.

Hermione, lying in the hospital wing . . . Harry, fighting Slytherin's monster . . . and himself, completely alone and unable to do anything.

He hated how helpless he felt, hated not knowing if they would be okay.

And he pushed harder on the rock, praying for them to come back all right.

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**Last one for Chamber of Secrets. This is a bit similar to something I wrote for From Different Eyes, but I think it's worth thinking about - how scared Ron must have been stuck in there all alone. Review!**


	7. Birthday

_"At that moment, Harry Potter felt just like everyone else - glad, for the first time in his life, that it was his birthday" (ch. 1)._

* * *

Harry had only been expecting Hedwig, so naturally the odd misshapen figure of three owls descending came as a surprise.

But when he opened Ron's present, and then Hermione's, and propped the birthday cards – his first and best ever – up on his desk, something filled him. A warm, tingling, glowing sensation. The way he imagined that other children must feel on their birthdays.

Because he had gotten presents. He had gotten cards.

He had people who cared enough to get them for him.

And that, he thought, admiring his presents once again, was the best present he could have gotten.

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**This is one of my favorite scenes ever - it is so incredibly sweet! So it's my Harry drabble.**


	8. Lonely

_"'I thought you two'd value yer friend more'n broomsticks or rats'" (ch. 14)._

* * *

Hermione put her head down on her book and closed her eyes.

_You don't care,_ she told herself firmly, _you don't care. You've been without friends before. It doesn't matter._

It was no use. She couldn't fool herself. She cared.

She hadn't cared as much before – in kindergarten, in grade school – because she'd never experienced it. But now – to have had friends, and somehow managed to lose them – it hurt worse than anything ever had in her life.

So when Ron and Harry were finally talking to her again, she cried. She couldn't help it.

She'd never felt so relieved.

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**This is Hermione when both the boys are mad at her. I figure that must have been really hard for her - her only friends not speaking to her. Reviews make me happy!**


	9. Recognition

_"'If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us, too!'" (ch. 17)._

* * *

Ron's leg hurt more than anything had ever hurt before. He knew it was broken, and it was Black's fault.

But that wasn't important right now – nothing was important, because the murderer was glaring at them with hate in his eyes and he'd been after Harry all year – but –

_It had to end._

So Ron yelled at him that if he wanted to get to Harry, he'd have to go through him and Hermione first. And looking to the side, he caught Hermione's eye and she nodded fiercely.

And he thought he saw a flash of recognition in Black's eyes.

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**The recognition is Sirius thinking about James, if you didn't get that part. Ron is hogging all the ending scenes - gosh!**


	10. Out of Orbit

_"'You miss him!' said Hermione impatiently. 'And I know he misses you'" (ch. 19)._

* * *

Hermione was ready to slap someone across the face (again. But this time it wouldn't be Malfoy).

Harry and Ron were being too stubborn and proud to admit it, but they missed each other. They knew it as well as she did. And being their friend wasn't right when they weren't speaking. Off balance. Their perfect triangle had lost a side.

Something in the universe was thrown out of orbit.

But it couldn't go on like this. This friendship was too important to be destroyed by a tournament.

She held on to that hope, and would never let it go.

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**I'm picturing the trio as a triangle - lines drawn from each person to both of the others, connecting them together. And with Ron and Harry not speaking, it's only a V, and that's awful for poor Hermione. Review!**


	11. Waiting

_"A torrent of sound deafened and confused him; there were voices everywhere, footsteps, screams" (ch. 35)._

* * *

Ron was scared.

Fleur's and Krum's unconscious bodies had been found in the maze. Harry and Cedric – the two Hogwarts champions – were still inside. They had been for far too long already.

Hermione was sitting next to him, and with every agonizing second her anxious grip on his arm tightened. He didn't mind, though. He understood.

Then someone screamed.

Harry and Cedric had just appeared in the middle of the field, holding onto the Cup, which was glowing blue like a Portkey. Neither of them was moving.

They didn't need to talk. He and Hermione shared one glance, and ran.

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**Imagine how awful that must have been for them - watching the maze, no clue what's happening, and then Fleur and Krum both get dragged out unconscious? For Ron and Hermione, that must have been so terrifying.**


	12. Broken

_"He liked it best when he was with Ron and Hermione and they were talking about other things, or else letting him sit in silence while they played chess. He felt as though all three of them had reached an understanding they didn't need to put into words" (ch. 37)._

* * *

Harry was broken.

That was the only word to describe it. Part of him was gone, had died with Cedric, and now he just felt empty inside, as though all the rest of him had shattered, leaving only shards.

But when he was with Ron and Hermione, he felt whole again. They understood better than anyone else could. He didn't need to talk to them, didn't need to explain a thing.

They just sat with him, saying nothing, but letting him know that they were there, and always would be.

It was all they could do, but it was enough.

* * *

**They are the only people who really understand Harry, through and through. **


	13. Information

_"'Have you been furious with us? I bet you have, I know our letters were useless - but we couldn't tell you anything, Dumbledore made us swear we wouldn't . . ." (ch. 4)._

* * *

_I've just been attacked by dementors and I might be expelled from Hogwarts . . ._

Ron's mouth fell open as he read the letter, and seconds later, Hermione came flying into his room, waving a piece of parchment, looking just as shocked as he felt.

"We have to tell him something," she said breathlessly. "We have to." And Ron nodded in silent agreement.

But as much as they begged, no one would give them permission to write a word.

So, resigned, they bore Hedwig's marks, and Harry's shouting. But Ron wished Harry would understand how hard they had tried.

* * *

**On to Order of the Phoenix! I thought it was a bit unfair how Harry just lost his temper at Ron and Hermione, and that they shouldn't have just taken it. Did he really expect them to disobey a direct order from Dumbledore? It's not like they really would just sit and laugh at his misfortune.**


	14. The DA

_"'That's an idea . . . You,' said Ron. 'Teaching us to do it'" (ch. 15)._

* * *

Harry had gotten used to teaching the DA – had even started to like it. Teaching seemed to come naturally to him, especially Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Every now and then, Hermione and Ron would shoot him smug looks, as if to say, "See? We told you so."

But somehow, even though his temper was so short these days, he couldn't get angry about it. The DA was his only outlet, the only thing that really made him happy anymore. And it was all thanks to Ron and Hermione that it had happened.

How could he blame them for that?

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**It's sweet how much faith Ron and Hermione have in Harry, and how they stick by him no matter what. I love it.**


	15. Even Though

_"Even through his anger and impatience Harry recognized Hermione's offer to accompany him to Umbridge's office as a sign of solidarity and loyalty" (ch. 32)._

Hermione didn't think that Harry's vision was real, and told him as much. She knew he wasn't supposed to have seen it, there was a reason for that, and she was sure it was a trick, playing off his weaknesses.

He blew up at her, of course, and she defended herself, but he was firm in his course.

And even though she thought it was wrong, even though she disagreed, she would go into Umbridge's office with him. And into the Department of Mysteries.

Because she was his friend, and she would support him, because that was what they did.

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**I don't think this one needs any explanation. Review!**


	16. The Chosen One

_"He knew that Ron and Hermione were more shocked than they were letting on, but the mere fact that they were still there on either side of him, speaking bracing words of comfort, not shrinking from him as though he were contaminated or dangerous, was worth more than he could ever tell them" (ch. 5)._

* * *

He was the Chosen One.

He was the Chosen One, and it had been hard enough for him to accept it, but he hadn't wanted to tell Ron and Hermione, afraid that it would lose him the best – only – friends he'd ever had.

But he told them, and they weren't disgusted or scared. They were afraid for him, but not of him. And he didn't know why he had expected any less.

No matter what he was prophesied to do, he knew they were by his side. And just then, it was the best thing he could have asked for.

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**And we're on to the Half-Blood Prince! Review!**


	17. Siblings

_"For a fraction of a second they looked at each other, then Ron gave a tiny jerk of the head that Harry understood to mean, _Well-if you must_" (ch. 24)._

* * *

To say Ron was dumbfounded would be an understatement.

He hadn't been expecting his sister to throw herself at Harry as soon as the portrait hole opened – and had expected even less for Harry to grab her as soon as she got there and _kiss_ her.

Hermione was looking at him with a how-did-you-not-see-this-coming expression, but he was too shocked to respond.

Harry was his brother, though, as much as Ginny was his sister, and he did want him to be happy.

However, this could be a problem . . .

_Which one of them was he supposed to threaten?_

* * *

**Poor Ron must have been so confused and scared - imagine the awful things that could have been done to his relationships if something went wrong between Harry and Ginny! I bet that was one of the reasons he didn't want them together - because if they broke up, he would have had to pick sides, and it wouldn't have been pretty. But he loves them both and wants them to be happy.**


	18. We'll Be There

_"'You said to us once before,' said Hermione quietly, that there was time to turn back if we wanted to. We've had time, haven't we?'" (ch. 30)._

* * *

Harry wasn't coming back to Hogwarts.

Hermione had known that all along, but she wanted to know what his plan– what _their_ plan – was. She'd already started thinking of everything the three of them would need when she realized.

He hadn't asked for her help, hadn't asked them to come along. And he looked shocked when Ron told him they were coming.

But why would he ever doubt that?

There had never been a question. Their friendship had shaped her life – all of their lives. Of course they would be there.

She hadn't even thought it needed to be said.

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**Come on, how could Harry ever doubt these two? They're loyal as they come! Reviews are welcome!**


	19. Idiot

_"'I came out miles from where you were. By the time I got back to that bit of riverbank where we'd been . . . you'd gone'" (ch. 19)._

* * *

Ron was an idiot.

His fingers were streaming with blood, but he barely noticed the pain. There was a pain inside him much more present – much more real – than his stupid fingernails.

Harry and Hermione were gone. And it was his fault.

All of the fingernails on his left hand were missing. It was like a physical representation of what he'd lost – and how it had been his fault.

He wasn't whole if Harry and Hermione weren't there. He never could be whole without them.

And he clutched his wounded hand to his chest, crumpled to the ground, and wept.

* * *

**Deathly Hallows, here we are! Ron, right after he escapes from the Snatchers. I thought the fingernails were a pretty accurate microcosm for how he must have been feeling.**


	20. The Old Pattern

_"Hermione slid out of her bunk and moved like a sleepwalker toward Ron, her eyes upon his pale face. She stopped right in front of him, her lips slightly parted, her eyes wide. Ron gave a weak, hopeful smile and half raised his arms._  
_Hermione launched herself forward and started punching every inch of him that she could reach" (ch. 19)._

* * *

Hermione wondered if she was still asleep, still dreaming.

Ron was back.

He'd returned to them – apologized.

And the whole time she was screaming at him, accusing him, letting out all the pain and anger she'd kept holed up inside, she couldn't help but feel a little bitter that Harry was defending _him_.

It was just like old times – whenever she and Ron would argue, Harry was always on Ron's side.

And then she realized – _it was just like old times._ They had fallen into the old pattern, so easily she hadn't even noticed it.

Their triangle was complete again.

* * *

**That had to be an incredible catharsis for Hermione - and I think she just needed an outlet. Ron's the person for whom she has the strongest feelings, whether affection or anger, but they all need each other to make the balance work.**


	21. Full Circle

_"The two whose company he craved most . . . Ron and Hermione, who had stuck with him for so long, and who deserved the truth" (ch. 36)._

* * *

The war was finished, and they had won.

_He_ had won.

But they had lost so much, experienced so much pain along the way, that it was hard to feel joy right now, even if he should.

The only thing that made it feel all right were the two people standing on either side of him, arms around him, even as he was holding on to them. Keeping one another upright.

The people who had been with him from the start, and stuck with him until the end.

The people with whom he had come full circle.

Ron and Hermione.

* * *

**And that's all, folks! They started it, and they'll end it - full circle. The triangle is complete - and will be forever.**


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